House-door letter-box



(No Model.)

B. MARKELL.

HOUSE DOOR LETTER BOX. No. 460,783. Patented Oct. 6, 1891.

WITNESSES: NTOR:

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDVARD MARKELL, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

HOUSE-DOOR LETTER-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 460,783, dated October 6, 1891.

Application filed June 4,1891. Serial No. 395,017. (No model.)

To aZ/Z whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD MARKELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore city, in the State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in House-Door Letter-Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in house-door letter-boxes; and its object is to provide a box adapted for the reception of letters and papers, packages, &c., through the same receiving-slot in the door.

With this object in view the invention consists in the novel features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a vertical cross-section through the box and door, and Fig. 2 a back view.

The box A is of the usual form, and is secured to the house-door B to include the receiving slotor opening a in the latter, which slot has a beveled lower side Z), and is closed by a flapper or gate a, pivoted to swing into the box and closing against the lower beveled side of the receiving-slot. The construction and arrangement of this flapper, as here shown, are the same as those shown and de- -scribed in my former patent, No. 490,372, da-

ted March 31, 1891.

In the back of the box is an opening 0 of the same size as the receiving-slot a and in line therewith, and from the bottom of this opening extends a horizontal partition 0 across the box. This partition closes over the lower part A, the box below the receiving-slot. It does not, however, extend to the front of the box, but terminates at a suitable distance therefrom to leave a space or opening (1, through which letters and similar matter of small bulk inserted through the receiving-slot may pass into the lower part of the box. The said partition extends on a line with the outer or higher edge I) of the beveled side I) of the receiving-slot, and hence said beveled side also constitutes one side of the opening (1 into the lower part of the box and serves to direct the mail-matter thereinto. It will be observed that the front edge e of the partition which forms the rear side of the said opening (Z is higher than the beveled side I), which forms the front side of the opening, and hence matter suitable for admission to the lower part of the box is prevented from falling upon the partition C- and is directed into the box through the opening (I. \Vhen, however, a large package, such as a newspaper or magazine, not suitable for admission to the lower partof the box is delivered, the flapper a is pushed up into the 7 top part A of the box, as indicated in broken lines in Fig. 1, and such package is shoved through the said top part of the box over the horizontal partition 0 and out through the opening 0 in the back of the box. Matter of this class may fall upon the floor after being shoved through the box.

A suitable guard device D is located in the lower part A of the box below the receivingslot at to prevent the extraction of mail through the said slot.

The bottom of the box has a suitable hinged lidj by which the 1nail-matter in the box may be removed, said door having a suitable lockj'.

It will be evident that the box may be applied in any other suitable place other than to a door, and that it may itself be provided with a front having a receiving-slot. Hence my invention is not limited in this respect.

The box is shown fastened to the door by exterior lugs or lips; but it is obvious that I may employ concealed fastening or any other suitable devices for this purpose.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A mail-box having a receiving-slot in its front, a flapper closing said slot, an opening at the back in line with the said receiving-slot, and a horizontal partition extending from the bottom of said back opening toward the receiving-slot and terminating a suitable distance therefrom, thus leaving a space through which matter that may be inserted through the receiving-slot may pass below the partition into the lower part of the box.

2. A mail-box having a horizontal partition, an opening leading into the lower part of the box below the said partition, an opening in the back of the box above the partition, and a front flapper so pivoted as to disclose both the opening into the lower part through which matter 'that may be'inserted through the receiving-slot may pass below the partition into the lower part of the box, said partition being in line with the outer or higher edge of the beveled lower side of the receiving-slot.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD MARKELL.

\Vitnesses:

' J NO. T. MADDOX,

. F. P. DAVIS. 

